Amanda Strawhacker

About

Amanda Strawhacker is a leading researcher in early childhood education and human-computer interaction, specializing in how young children learn foundational STEAM concepts through robotics and programming. Her work bridges tangible, graphic, and hybrid user interfaces to make computational thinking accessible to kindergarteners. In her highly cited 2014 study (203 citations), she compared how children as young as five program robots using different interfaces, revealing critical insights into how tangible and hybrid designs support comprehension better than purely graphic ones. Her 2013 paper "TUI, GUI, HUI" (62 citations) systematically evaluated these interface types with 36 kindergarteners across three classrooms, establishing a framework for designing age-appropriate programming tools. Strawhacker also champions arts integration, as shown in her 2017 work (52 citations) on "Dancing, Drawing, and Dramatic Robots," which demonstrates how combining robotics with dance, drawing, and drama can teach foundational STEAM concepts. Her research has shaped the design of educational technologies that empower young learners to become creators, not just consumers, of technology.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   “I want my robot to look for food”: Comparing Kindergartner’s programming comprehension using tangible, graphic, and hybrid user interfaces

   203 citations · 2014
2. 2
   TUI, GUI, HUI

   62 citations · 2013
3. 3
   Dancing, Drawing, and Dramatic Robots: Integrating Robotics and the Arts to Teach Foundational STEAM Concepts to Young Children

   52 citations · 2017

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links